BUIES CREEK, NC— Winthrop softball couldn't overcome four errors and a six-run inning in a 6-1 loss to Presbyterian College, Thursday night in the first round of the Big South Conference Softball Championship on the campus of Campbell University.
With the loss, the Eagles (25-24) will face the host Campbell on Friday at 11:30 a.m. in an elimination game. Should the third-seeded Eagles win that game, they will play Friday evening at 7 p.m.
Winthrop grabbed a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second when
Haley Zuehlke took the first pitch over the left field fence for her fifth home run of the season.
The Blue Hose responded in the top of the third with six runs before the Eagles recorded the first out of the inning. Jill McLean and Shelby Petik drew walks to lead off the inning and get things going as McLean scored on the next play when Erin Ruff reached on a fielder's choice. Winthrop head coach
Mark Cooke then made a move to
Dallas King in the pitching circle to replace
Sara Allen, but it didn't cool off the Blue Hose as the next four batters came through with RBI singles for a 5-1 lead. Blaire Miller made it 6-1 on a sacrifice fly as she fouled out to right field.
The Eagles looked to cut the deficit in half in the bottom of the sixth inning as
Kelsey Ritter and
Leah Young reached base with one out. Both moved into scoring position after a wild pitch. Zuehlke came up and nearly came through as she ripped a shot down the left field line that was just foul. Then she ripped a line drive to third again and looked to be foul but third baseman Kersten Legacki reached out and snagged it for the second out.
Tara Loken grounded out to the pitcher to end the threat.
Allen started the game in the circle and suffered the loss as she allowed four runs (three earned) on two hits with four walks and a strikeout to fall to 10-9. Her counterpart Kensley Loudermelk tossed a complete game allowing the one run on five hits with two walks and five strikeouts to improve to 13-9.
Zuehlke's home run extended her hitting streak to six games while Antone reached base for the ninth straight game.
